The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-03-09
LIFE IN WILD SIBERIA.
How People Exis. In One of the coldes.
Countries in the World.


Countries in the World.
t'In each cabin is the large fireplace.
which is used for both heating and cook
ing" said Lieut.. w. III. Sclcutze, who
has Travelled in northwest Siberia. There
is seldom more than one room in these
cabins, and usually the owner 8 cattle, If
he has any, occupy one end of the room
in which lie lives, being tied or prevented
from tramping on the babies by n lar.
The houses are commonly very comforta-
ble, but are awfully dirty. and smell
there is no word to describc it. Often,
until got used to it, would rather lay
down in the snow outside, with the tier
mometer so degs. below zero, than sleep
in one of these huts. But you no idea
what n man can stand when he has to. ="
'tHave they windows in their houses:''
eyes; ice windows. They use ice as
we use glass. a clear piece is selected
about five or six inches thick, mortised in
the window opening in blocks two feet
and sometimes rs large as four feet
square. and with water is made solid.
The water is rs good as putty. When the
window becomes dirty they scrapc it off
with knife, and when it has been
scrapcd thin they substitute a new
pane"
Doesn't the window ever rleIt?'
"Bless you. no; it is freezing cold that
far from tho fire. If the room ever got
warm enough to melt the ice the Yakut
couldn't live IN it, and would have to 20
outdoors to cool off. AT night the fire is
allowed to go ont. rs they have to ccono-
mize in fuel. All they have is tlriftwood,
gathered on the hanks of the Lerra river
in the summer time.
..How do they sleep? Do they undress
when they go to betly''
Always, They strip to their shirts,
which arc made OF thick sort of Rus
sian cloth, as heavy as our canvas. The
mon and women wear the Eamc kind of
garments, and never have moro than one
ut time. took up lot of thick fian-
mel for tlpsnrr enough to last tic rest of
their lives. and it will he great deal
more comfortable than the native stuff,
although they dors't like it Mt first. When
they undrcss they get into hunks built in
the side of the house, sometimes a man,
his wife, and all his children in the same
bunk. They have reindeer skins undet
and over them, and curtains of the sanse
hanging before the bunks."
''Do they ever bathe:"
.Never in their lives. They haven't
any word for bathing in their language,
and the fmpossibility of keeping clean is
one of the greatest har1lships, of Arctic
life"
What do they eat?''
Reindeer meet, becf-efiey have cows,
queer looking animals about halE as large
as ours. with hummock ON their backs
like a camel-fish, bread made Of black
rye flour. tea. and an imported food made
IF chopped beef rolled into bulls about
the size of marble and covered with a
dough. These they pound up anE maze
into soup. Then there is wood that IS
very nutritious when it is ground up and
boiled. Mixed with reindeer meat it
makes good soup. They often eat their
fish raw. OF course, they freeze solid as
coon as they are taken out of the water,
and tho native, particularly if he is on the
road, cuts them CT in shavings as thin as
our chopped beef. and cats them raw.
They are paIatable, and have lived for
days at q time ON them, with a cup OF
coffee, Hrndc over an alcohol lamp. by
way of variety. The greatest luxury they
have is BUTTER and they viii eat It by the
pound as eur people eat confectionery A
poor sort of butter IL made from the milk
of native COW, TINT looks and tastes
moro like choose, and they prize it above
all other classes OF food.
s'The amount of butter native w-iIlleat
when lie can get it, continued Lieut.
Scheutze. rs astonishing. A friend of
mine in Siberia told me of man who ate
thirty-six pounds in one day, and then
didn't get all he wanted. They have a
way of pounding up \ red barry and mix
ing it with butter. which gives it a beau
tiful pink tint and improves, the flavor.
Their drink is the Russinn rodRa. almost
pure alcohol, and they will trade their
shirts for it. The liquor is scarce but ex-
pensive. so they are necessarily a temper
ate people. 10 Cincinnati Sun.